As the demand for devices having feature-rich video displays, such as laptops, cell phones, personal digital assistants, flat screen TV's, etc., continues to increase, the need for systems that can efficiently process video data has also increased. One of the many challenges involves managing the flow of video data from a video source to a video display. For example, systems: (1) may require different types of memory systems, including storage queues; (2) may utilized shared memory devices that require memory controllers to handle multiple real-time processes; (3) may be required to manage different types of data, etc.
A recent advance in video display technology in which the above-mentioned challenges arise involves color sequential display systems (i.e., color sequencing). Color sequencing utilizes a scrolling color architecture in which the red, green, and blue primary colors are sequentially presented to the same panel, using the same pixel locations. To implement such a system, the video data must be presented to the display panel at an elevated rate (e.g., a frame rate of 150-180 Hz) such that the viewer perceives a continuous full color image. The resulting speed and bandwidth requirements create challenges in designing an efficient low cost architecture for delivering video data from a source to the actual display.
For instance, storage queues that are used to buffer data going to or from a shared memory device are normally implemented as FIFO's (i.e., first-in first-out storage) or dual port memories that are addressed as FIFO's. In the case of a shared memory system that is used within a color sequential display, the color components must be separately processed, which implies three FIFO's, one for each color. This requirement of having three FIFO's adds to the cost and complexity of the system. Accordingly, a system and method are required in which multiple FIFO's are not needed.
The present invention addresses one or more of the above-mentioned problems, by providing a storage queue for a color sequential display system comprised of a single dual port memory that stores and retrieves color-specific video data and provides color separation. In a first aspect, the invention provides a storage queue for a color sequential display system, wherein the storage queue is coupled to a shared memory and comprises: a system for receiving and storing individual packets of alternating red, green and blue video data in the storage queue; and a system that can read out separate sets of red packets, green packets and blue packets from the storage queue to the shared memory.
In a second aspect, the invention provides a method of managing color sequential display data in a storage queue that is coupled to a shared memory, comprising: receiving and storing individual packets of alternating red, green and blue video data in the storage queue; and reading out separate sets of red packets, green packets and blue packets from the storage queue to the shared memory.
In a third aspect, the invention provides a memory management system for use in a color sequential display, comprising: a shared memory; and a storage queue coupled to the shared memory, wherein the storage queue includes: a system for receiving and storing individual packets of alternating color-specific video data in the storage queue; and a system for bursting separate sets of color-specific packets from the storage queue to the shared memory.